14 Bizarre Things That Can Happen When You Gain Weight

Food tastes blander

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While it’s tempting to blame weight gain on loving the taste of food too much, it might not be true—in fact, it appears to be exactly the opposite. Inflammation from weight gain can reduce our taste receptors by 25 percent, according to a new study published in PLoS Biology. This may lead people to overeat even more, as they try to get the same flavor reward from their favorite foods that they used to, compounding the problem. So, what’s a weight-challenged foodie to do? Here are 12 foods that will turn your your meals into calorie burners.

Leaving the house suddenly feels terrifying

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Feeling anxious? It turns out that gaining weight can increase anxiety levels, according to a study published in Menopause. Researchers found that women with a higher waist-to-height ratio were far more likely to suffer from anxiety than their peers. Losing weight helped lessen their symptoms, perhaps because dietary patterns can alter brain chemistry and the formulation of neurotransmitters like serotonin. Although serotonin is well known as a feel-good chemical “in the brain,” it’s estimated that 90 percent of the body’s serotonin is made in the digestive tract and influenced by microbes there, which are in turn influenced by the foods we eat. Here are 9 foods that calm anxiety (and three that make it worse).

Men store fat in areas they don’t want

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“Moobs” (man boobs) can be a side affect of overall obesity, but what can make fat deposit in this one area more than others? Blame hormones. Gynecomastia is triggered by estrogen levels that are too high or are out of balance with testosterone levels. Estrogen, a hormone that controls female traits, is stored in fat cells and the more fat a person has, the more estrogen they have, according to research in the New England Journal of Medicine. Men should beware of sudden changes in breast size, which can be one of the surprising signs of male breast cancer.

Serious stomach pain sidelines you

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Suddenly feeling sharp, stabbing pains in your back or upper abdomen? It could be gallstones, and gaining weight significantly increases your risk of getting the painful condition and the severity, according to research from Harvard. The real kicker is that if you end up getting your gallbladder removed you may have a hard time eating high-fat foods for the rest of your life. Instead, try these 10 diet foods your grandmother swore by that really work.

You’re super bummed out, and nothing cheers you

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One of the most compelling findings from the Harvard study was the strong link between weight gain and depression, say the researchers. Obese people have a 55 percent higher risk of developing depression over time compared with people of normal weight, according to a study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry. Mood disorders and weight gain can become a vicious circle, as the study also found that depressed folks have a 58 percent higher chance of becoming overweight. One tip that will help both your mood and your waistline? Take a nap!

You have trouble conceiving

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One of the most heartbreaking consequences of weight gain is an increased risk of infertility, in both men and women, according to the Harvard study. Having extra adipose tissue can disrupt hormones and make it harder to conceive. Surprised? Your weight is just one of 15 everyday things that could be affecting your fertility.

Viagra ads suddenly catch your attention

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Having a difficult time performing in the bedroom? Erectile dysfunction (ED) increases with weight gain, Harvard researchers say. It can also be a sign of a more serious health condition. Thankfully, ED responds quickly to losing even a few pounds.

Your muscles are sore and you didn’t hit the gym

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Unexplained muscle soreness, weakness, and fatigue are one sign of a vitamin D deficiency. What does a vitamin have to do with your weight? Overweight people are more likely to be deficient in this important nutrient, according to a study published in Nutrients. Why? Even if you’re getting enough D through sunlight or supplements, it gets diluted in the extra fatty tissue. Weight gain can also put you at a higher risk of other vitamin and mineral deficiencies, they added. The good news is, restoring vitamin D can help you lose weight. Not all supplements are created equal. Before buying vitamin D, learn about this one that that’s twice as effective.

Painful burps after dinner become the norm

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Heartburn is the worst. The fiery chest and throat pain can seriously take the fun out of eating a delicious meal. If you’ve suddenly started having more or worse flare-ups, it might be time to check the scale. Gaining weight puts you at a higher risk of heartburn, according to the Harvard study. Excess body fat around the middle can increase pressure in the stomach and cause the sphincter muscle between the stomach and esophagus to open when it shouldn’t. Here are 13 natural heartburn remedies that everyone should know.

You start snoring like a freight train

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Does your partner gear up for bed with earplugs, a white noise machine, and snore spray at the ready? It’s a good sign that your snoring is out of control. One cause of loud, persistent snoring is sleep apnea, a condition that causes you to stop breathing many times during the night, and can be brought on or worsened by weight gain, according to a study published in Chest. The good news? Chronic snorers who went on a healthy eating plan saw improvements in their sleep within eight weeks.

Your DNA changes

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It’s long been thought that some genes may cause weight gain but the opposite can also be true—weight gain changes your genes. Gaining weight has the power to change your body on its most basic level, by altering gene expression in your DNA, according to a study published in Nature. The genes that experienced the most significant changes had to do with metabolism and inflammation, they found. Thankfully it also works in reverse: Try these easy ways to turn off your fat genes.

Peeing three times a night becomes the new normal

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Midnight potty trips are a punchline for many jokes about aging, but if you’re consistently having to pee during the night it’s no laughing matter, as it can be an early warning sign of chronic kidney disease and failure, says the National Kidney Foundation. What does your weight have to do with your kidneys? A lot: Obese people are seven times more likely to get kidney disease and even people who are mildly overweight are 90 percent more likely to develop end-stage renal failure, according to a study done by the University of California – San Francisco. Don’t miss these proven weight loss tips from people who have lost 50+ pounds.

Online shopping or gambling are eating up your savings

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Wondering why you’re suddenly struggling with self-control? The scale might have some answers. A 10 percent weight gain is enough to change your brain in significant ways, according to research published by the Association for Psychological Science, and that can alter your personality. People who gained weight scored much higher on impulsivity and were less likely to resist temptations of all kinds, the researchers found. Read on for 50 things doctors wish you knew about losing weight.

Charlotte Hilton Andersen is the author of the book The Great Fitness Experiment: One Year of Trying Everything and runs the popular health and fitness website of the same name, where she tries out a new workout every month, specializing in exercise, body image and oversharing. She was named one of Demand Media's top 3 bloggers, one of Fitness magazine's favorite fitness bloggers and a fitness expert by Experience Life Magazine. She writes for Shape Magazine, SheKnows, The Huffington Post, Redbook magazine, iVillage, Men's Fitness, and BlogHer on a regular basis. In addition she has been featured on ABC's 20/20 and Fox's morning show and interviewed on Fox, NBC and many radio stations. Her writing has appeared in many health and fitness magazines as well as the online content of the Washington Post, USA Today, Fox News, and Livestrong among others. A former professor, her night job is grading the SAT essay where she gets to grade 500 high school essays each answering the same prompt, causing her to curse any time The Scarlet Letter is mentioned in her presence. She is a mom of 5.